Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-06-30
Weeds.

The time is coming, says Mr.. Edmund
Hersey, in the Farmer, when the most
successful farmers will have but very
few weeds to contend with, for we are
about to make another step of progress
in the cultivation of boed crops. 1t is
10 longer going to be the universal GUS
tom to cease the war with the weeds at
midsummer, but some farmers are de-
tsrmined to keep up the battle with
weeds during the entire season, and
others prevent any weeds from ripening.
1t has been found by experience that
land can be cleared of weed seeds in
few years, if no seeds are permitted to
ripen, and commercial fertilizers he
used to feed the crops. In fact it has
been demonstrated that whole farm
can be cleared of weeds by IA few years
persistent effort, and thus even the barn
manure may be freed from weed seeds.
A farm thus freed is of much higher
value, and can be worked not only with
much more pleasure, but also with more
profit.
1t is real comfort to have garden
that is freed from weed seeds. Cultiva-
tion is so easy, every farmer, if he does
no more, should keep his kitchen garden
free flom weeds; he should never per
nit any to ripen their seeds. 1t is true
his for the first year or two is some la
tor, but it can be done, and it pays to
do 1.-THE way to do it is simple and
within the reach of abby SIMPLY pull
ing all of the weeds, and permitting
none to ripeD any seed, and using COM
mercial fertilizers, the work will be ac-
complished. The great mistake which
the garden in August and September
the very time when the weeds grow the
best and ripen their seed in the least
possible number of days. Every weed
that is permitted to grow will probably
ripen 10000 seeds, some of them more
than ten times that number 1t does
not require any argument TO prove that
it would be easier to destroy one weed
In August, than 10000 the following
spring, so though an August weed may
not injure the ripening crop, it is econo-
my to to take particular pains t. destroy
it before it begins to ripen its seeds.
While some farmers are fully alive to
the Importance of destroying all the
weeds that make their appearance among
the hoed crops, they neglect entirely to
destroy any that grow on the borders of
the field, in the barnyard, and around
the farm buildings, but if the farm is to
b. kept clean of weeds it is just as im>
portant to destroy those on the borders
of the field. and in the barnyard, as it is
to destroy them on the plOughed land
Farmers should carefully cut down. at
least twice year, all of the weeds
around the cultivated fields, and other
portions of the farm, and thus prevent
the ripening of weed seeds. There is
no labor on the farm that pays better
than this.
With our improved farm implements
there is little excuse for raising weeds,
and certainly no profit. Every farmer
should make up his mind never to be so
busy as not to find time at the proper
season to cultivate his hoed crops suffi-
cient to destroy all of the weeds as soon
as they get we'll above ground, and if
he has not already destroyed all of the
weed seeds in his kitchen garden he
should begin this year with the deter
mination to keep up the fight with the
weeds to the end of the season, and
thus have at least one field on the farm
that ripens no weed seeds. BY using in
the garden commercial fertilizers, in
two years, by persistent efforts. nearly
all of the weed seeds may be destroyed, |